Angel at Dusk

97%
Game Brain Score Based on 140 reviews
  • gameplay
  • graphics
  • story
Angel at Dusk Game Cover
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In "Angel at Dusk" , a punishing shmup set in a far-off future, players must shoot, dodge, and destroy enemies in an apocalyptic world reawakened to primal desires. With a focus on challenging gameplay and minimalistic design, players gather power-ups by tackling enemies at close range, offering a thrilling experience that hearkens back to the genre's origins. The story explores a world where humanity has transcended to angeldom, leaving behind a paradise for angels as the sun expands and twilight engulfs the realm.

  • PC
  • Steam Deck
  • Windows
Genres & TagsPlay Modes

Reviews

97%
Audience ScoreBased on 140 reviews
gameplay16 positive mentions
grinding7 negative mentions
  • The game features an excellent tutorial that effectively introduces both newcomers and veterans to shmup mechanics, making it highly accessible.
  • The unique art style and engaging soundtrack create a captivating atmosphere, enhancing the overall experience of the game.
  • With multiple game modes, including a lengthy Chronicle mode and various unlockable ships, the game offers substantial content and replayability.
  • The Chronicle mode can become grindy and repetitive, requiring players to complete it to unlock additional content, which may frustrate some.
  • The screen can get cluttered with bullets and effects, making it difficult to track the player's position and avoid damage during intense moments.
  • Some weapons are unbalanced, leading to a lack of variety in effective strategies and potentially diminishing the challenge for experienced players.
  • gameplay36 mentions

    The gameplay is characterized by its engaging mechanics and beautiful art style, making it accessible for newcomers while still offering depth for experienced players. It features a well-structured tutorial system, unique ship loadouts, and rewarding aggressive strategies, though some players find the gameplay can become repetitive over time. Overall, it combines satisfying bullet-hell action with a variety of modes and mechanics, providing a solid experience for fans of the genre.

    • “The game does a fantastic job through its gameplay to teach you to stay on the offensive and has a bunch of mechanics centered around rewarding aggressive strategies.”
    • “Hugely satisfying gameplay with a unique feel, look, and sound.”
    • “A brilliant addition to the shmup genre, this game isn't only visually striking with its nightmarish presentation, but it's also packing plenty of content, unique system mechanics, unlockables, multiple difficulty options, great moment-to-moment action-oriented gameplay and a killer soundtrack.”
    • “Going back to the problem of repetitive gameplay, this is the primary reason why I do not recommend this game unless you are a shmupper, and even if you are a die-hard shmup fan, surely there are better shmups to play.”
    • “While this game has done a decent job at creating a shmup game that retains players and invites new players to the genre, it still was not able to overcome the problem of simplistic, monotonous, basic gameplay that this genre has, which plagues what could have been a potentially great game.”
    • “Gameplay-wise, it is pretty simple; the mechanics involve the player being able to choose different ships with unique loadouts.”
  • graphics29 mentions

    The graphics of "Angel at Dusk" are described as a unique and grotesque blend of Giger-esque artwork and vector images, creating a visually striking experience that captivates players. While many praise the game's distinctive aesthetic and its ability to charm with its artistic style, some critiques mention issues with clarity and hitbox design. Overall, the visuals are considered a standout feature, enhancing the gameplay and making it a worthwhile experience for fans of the genre.

    • “The artwork is Giger-esque, which is unusual and extra great during the spooky season.”
    • “The visuals are grotesquely mesmerizing, and the music is all over the place (from classically inspired to heavy metal, to synth) in all the best ways.”
    • “To say nothing of the game's aesthetics, which are stellar, this is clearly a passion project by a skilled developer obsessed with the genre, and it oozes thought and style.”
    • “Angel at dusk laughs in the face of hyper-realistic graphics and dumbed-down difficulty, with what appear to be vector images of sexualized eldritch crab people barraging the player with bone-covered hot dogs.”
    • “People compare/associate this game to Scorn in terms of design and story, but I think it's a little better in both departments with the exception of graphics and horror.”
    • “I like that myself, but if you don't then there's options to adjust the graphics to make things more clear.”
  • story24 mentions

    The game's story is noted for being expansive and engaging, with a rich lore that unfolds as players progress through various modes, including Chronicle and Arcade. While some players find the narrative compelling and appreciate its philosophical depth, others feel that the story is secondary to gameplay, suggesting that it may not be essential for enjoyment. Overall, the combination of intriguing lore, humor, and artistic direction enhances the experience, making it a standout feature for those who value narrative in bullet hell games.

    • “The story of the game is actually interesting and expansive since every stage you clear will give you more context, but your first run through the game gives you these essential bullet points anyway.”
    • “Chronicle mode and arcade mode have notes for every stage, adding to something insane like 177 story notes altogether.”
    • “The lore of the story is actually pretty interesting.”
    • “The only shortcoming here is that there lacks an in-game explanation guiding the player from tutorials to original to chronicle mode, which affects the smooth transition and player experience. It took me a while to figure out that story mode can also be played from original mode with custom weapons, making difficulty redundant if you have higher stats and gear.”
    • “It's rare for me to dive deep and find out what the story is of any shmup unless I really like it.”
    • “For this kind of game, the story should be irrelevant, and yet this one is quite profound and explores philosophical concepts (think 'Evangelion', but more straightforward).”
  • music23 mentions

    The music in the game is widely praised for its eclectic variety, ranging from classical to heavy metal, and is described as both fitting and thematically rich, enhancing the overall experience. Reviewers highlight the soundtrack's quality and uniqueness, noting that it complements the game's distinctive art style and engaging gameplay. Overall, the music is considered a standout feature, contributing significantly to the game's appeal and replay value.

    • “The visuals are grotesquely mesmerizing, and the music is all over the place (from classically inspired to heavy metal, to synth) in all the best ways.”
    • “The music is also varied and, quite frankly, immaculate.”
    • “The music is bizarre, sounding more like a spaghetti western than a post-apocalyptic corrupted planet.”
    • “The soundtrack isn't gonna land in my favorites, but it feels incredibly fitting and thematic, so it's not getting muted either.”
    • “A brilliant addition to the shmup genre, this game isn't only visually striking with its nightmarish presentation, but it's also packing plenty of content, unique system mechanics, unlockables, multiple difficulty options, great moment to moment action-oriented gameplay and a killer soundtrack.”
  • grinding7 mentions

    The grinding aspect of the game is frequently criticized for being excessively repetitive and unbalanced, particularly in the roguelike mode that players must complete to unlock additional content. While some find the leveling system enjoyable, many feel that the grind detracts from the overall experience, making it feel unnecessarily lengthy and frustrating. However, a few players appreciate the grind when paired with engaging gameplay and a compelling soundtrack.

    • “In order to unlock all the arcade stages, you have to complete this horribly repetitive and grindy roguelike mode, which kind of wrecks the game.”
    • “Original mode is kind of grindy and lengthy, with some weapons being way better than others. It can be a bit grindy to unlock all the 'ships' too since you might end up having to farm for blue cells.”
    • “Commits the sin of hiding an entire arcade campaign behind progression through the unbalanced and grindy chronicle mode.”
  • humor4 mentions

    The game's humor is characterized by its tongue-in-cheek narration and over-the-top gore, featuring amusingly named bosses and a playful approach to its themes. While the humor remains engaging initially, it can become repetitive after a few hours of gameplay. The tutorials are particularly noted for their entertaining and informative writing, making the game accessible to newcomers.

    • “I appreciate the tongue-in-cheek humor of the narration and story as well.”
    • “Very suited to genre beginners thanks to its two very complete, motivating, and hilariously written tutorials (that also go into detail about the philosophy of shmups, it was very interesting for me).”
    • “This game feels like jumping a generation for its 'galshell' series, which is also a hilariously over-the-top gore fest with vaguely sexy monster women.”
  • replayability2 mentions

    Reviewers consistently highlight the game's strong replayability, attributing it to its engaging storyline, impressive graphics, and captivating music, alongside tight controls and solid mechanics. Overall, players feel that these elements contribute to a compelling experience that encourages multiple playthroughs.

    • “Cool art, tight controls, solid mechanics, lots of replay value.”
    • “From storyline to graphics to music, this game has high replay value.”
  • emotional1 mentions

    Players find the game emotionally engaging due to its challenging arcade mechanics that encourage continuous improvement, combined with a captivating visual aesthetic that resonates with their deeper emotional sensibilities.

    • “It's got the challenge of an arcade that keeps a person improving upon play, and the awesome visual aesthetic that charms one's emotional side.”
    • “The story deeply resonated with me, evoking a range of emotions that I didn't expect from a game.”
    • “Every character's journey felt personal, making me reflect on my own experiences and emotions.”
  • atmosphere1 mentions

    The atmosphere is described as potentially enhanced by the introduction of "angel particles," suggesting a whimsical or imaginative quality that could elevate the game's environment. This implies a unique and possibly ethereal ambiance that players find intriguing.

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